PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday approved the inclusion of pregnant and lactating mothers in the coverage of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program (4Ps) to ensure their prenatal and their babies’ first 1000 days health needs.
The President also directed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to submit the total number of pregnant and lactating mothers in the country who would be included as beneficiaries of the 4Ps so the Department of Budget and Management can adjust the program’s budget accordingly.
“Okay. Yes. Let’s do that. On the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, bring the mother, the family into the system. That’s really good,” Marcos said during the meeting.
The DSWD, in February, had recommended reforms to the 4Ps, including an increase in the cash grant to raise the purchasing power of beneficiaries, and the provision of financial assistance for the first 1,000 Days (F1KD) of children to prevent malnutrition and stunting.
The President likewise ordered the NEDA and DSWD to study proposed adjustments in the 4Ps cash grants to determine and recommend the appropriate amount that would help beneficiaries keep up with inflation.
At present, a 4Ps beneficiary-family receives daycare and elementary grant of P300 per child per month for ten months, conditional on their child’s school attendance; P500 per child per month for ten months for junior high school with the same conditionality on their child’s school attendance; P700 per child per month for ten months for senior high school with the same condition; and P750 per month per household for 12 months provided that their children aged 2-14 years old are under growth development and monitoring.
The 4Ps program currently has more than 4.4 million beneficiaries across the country.
